Illustration by Laurène Boglio
Tweets heating up our feed this week include an autistic person’s account of her overlooked autism, as well as tweets discussing new tools for manipulating the ends of neurons that send signals, sex differences in decision-making, a striking illustration of the human brain. , and more.
We’ll kick things off with “An Unexpected Autist,” the title of a new one comment on Autism in adulthood by Oluwatobi Abubakare, a clinical psychology student at Indiana University Bloomington, in which Abubakare writes: “Because of the intersection of my identities, my autism was hidden. But it doesn’t have to be that way for others.”
‘An unexpected autistic’: insights from @tobiabubakare
describes that autism was overlooked because of intersecting identities. We must provide education with respect to communities and recognize non-stereotypical presentation @IUPsychBrainNEW! FREE until August 2: https://t.co/wcl0yCynVN pic.twitter.com/k5rlM10Ezp
— AutismInAdulthood (@AutismAdulthood) July 21, 2022
“I wanted to share one the rarely discussed perspective of autism affecting many other black autistics throughout the African diaspora,” Abubakar tweeted.
My first authored comment/article is finally up! This paper was a labor of love as I wanted to share a rarely discussed perspective of autism that affects many other autistics of color throughout the African diaspora. Please read and enjoy! https://t.co/rzwBj3LPsB
— Oluwatobi Abubakare (@tobiabubakare) July 21, 2022
“This piece is filled with knowledge that is often lacking in how autism is discussed these days,” wrote Helen Tager-Flusberg, a professor of anatomy, neurobiology and psychology at Boston University in Massachusetts.
A deeply personal story from a truly remarkable and brilliant scientist in training. This piece is filled with insights that are often missing from the way autism is discussed these days… thanks Tobi! https://t.co/GccJ9ZCV6C
— Helen Tager-Flusberg (@HelenTager) July 21, 2022
“I never saw myself as one sudden autism but that probably explains the resistance received from people who know me,” tweeted user Aham Brahmasmi.
This was quite an interesting read and it occurred to me that I never saw myself as suddenly autistic, but that probably explains the resistance I get from people who know me.
Thanks for sharing your story @tobiabubakare ????✌ https://t.co/keDvdnlikT— Aami A (@Aamiiheree) July 21, 2022
Elsewhere in the Twitter-sphere, Nature Neuroscience shared a new review paper focusing on optogenetic tools for directly manipulating ‘presynapses’, the parts of neurons that release neurotransmitters.
Just in time for @OptoGRCa Review in #Optogenetics in Presynapse from @OferYizhar, @JWietekBenjamin Rost and Dietmar Schmitz #OptoGRC2022https://t.co/1YP6qTKfXb
— Nature Neuroscience (@NatureNeuro) July 14, 2022
Review co-author Ofer Yizhar, professor of neurobiology at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, cited “the exciting opportunities and unique challenges of applying optogenetics to synaptic terminals,” and said the team tried to “cover the basics and also give some practical advice!”
The new review comes out on @NatureNeuro with @JWietek @rost_br AND @LabSchmitz – the exciting opportunities and unique challenges of applying optogenetics to synaptic terminals. We try to cover the basics and also offer some practical tips! https://t.co/8btB5R5R9e
— Ofer Yizhar (@OferYizhar) July 14, 2022
Nicolas Liem, a graduate student at the Humboldt University of Berlin in Germany, called the paper “a beautiful overview that provides insight into #optogenetictoolbox on the presynapse and their practical implications!”
A nice summary that gives an overview of #optogenetic the presynapse toolbox and their practical implications! ???? https://t.co/JlccXqYRZx
— Nicolas Liem (@NicolasLiem) July 15, 2022
“Optogenetics at the presynapse it’s kind of special,” tweeted co-author Benjamin Rost, a postdoc at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases in Berlin.
Optogenetics at the presynapse is somewhat special. Excited to publish our summary on this with my great colleagues @OferYizhar, @JWietek, @LabSchmitz: https://t.co/lhK8TM4w8w
— BRRost (@rost_br) July 15, 2022
“Great summary of a complex field,” replied Evelyn Lambe, associate professor of physiology at the University of Toronto in Canada.
Excellent overview of a complex field https://t.co/stYdQkdOsp
— ELambe (@LambeLab) July 15, 2022
In a separate series of posts, Ilana Witten, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at the Princeton Neuroscience Institute in New Jersey, highlighted an “amazing new study” in bioRxiv that sought to explain the underlying neural substrates gender differences in decision-making behavior in mice.
ACC-DMS contributes to gender differences in value-dependent motivation
beautiful new study by @JuliaMaryCoxwith the help of @AddieMinerva @ZimmermanNeuro @ szorowi1 @westonfleming @bmcmannonamong others 1/n https://t.co/S8B2QtbkLV
— Ilana Witten (@IlanaWitten) July 11, 2022
The study “can help for him explain the effects over several years from several labs, including some between-task differences,” tweeted Nicola Grissom, assistant professor of psychology at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.
Very very interesting!! This may help to explain effects over several years from several labs, including some variation between tasks https://t.co/DGkhlA7ZFj
— Grissom Lab (@NicolaGrissom) July 12, 2022
The first in Australia National Guide to supporting autistic children has been released in draft form and is open to community feedback, according to a tweet by Andrew Whitehouse, professor of autism research at the Telethon Kids Institute in Perth, Australia. He added that “this is a huge milestone for Australia and we are very keen to hear from you”.
***News***
We have just released the draft version of Australia’s first National Guide to supporting autistic children. @AutismCRC
This is a huge milestone for Australia and we are very keen to hear from you.
Download and give feedback here ????https://t.co/MmcKnkYtR9— Andrew Whitehouse (@AJOWhitehouse) July 18, 2022
The groups Autism Awareness Australia and CliniKids helped out spread the word with tweeting quotes that appeal too feedback from the community.
#Your words on the new draft of the National Guidelines for support #autistic children. They have been developed in consultation with parents/carers, autistic people, service providers and others #autism community. Your feedback is important! @AutismCRC @DavidTrembath https://t.co/xaUz4zaUPw
— Autism Awareness Aus (@AutismAwareAus) July 18, 2022
@AutismCRC is seeking community feedback on Australia’s first national guide to supporting autistic children.
This is a great opportunity to have your say. https://t.co/GLJeyxYgxs— Autism Research at CliniKids (@clinikids_au) July 18, 2022
We will close this week’s newsletter with a “beautiful illustration of neuroanatomy with description of functions by Greg Dunn,” was shared by Oren Gottfried, professor of neurosurgery at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.
Nice illustration of neuroanatomy with description of functions by Greg Dunn. pic.twitter.com/EyG1vKWnmp
— Oren Gottfried, MD (@OGdukeneurosurg) July 18, 2022
There were too many tweets to include here, so we’ll leave you with one from Twitter Dr Hyelanderwho wrote, “I wish serotonin in all of you raphe cores stay in abundance my friends.”
May the serotonin in all raphe cores remain abundant my friends. https://t.co/dEiV9nacso
– Dr Hyelander ???????? ???? (@Helioprogenus) July 20, 2022
That’s it for this week’s Community Newsletter! If you have any suggestions for interesting social posts you’ve seen in the field of autism research, feel free to send an email to [email protected]
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Cite this article: https://doi.org/10.53053/NIEI5485
